'Avatar,' Bullock, 'Hangover,' 'Glee' win at Globes

James Cameron was anointed king of the world yet again, winning best director for the sci-fi hit "Avatar," which also took the night's top honor, best drama.

Jeff Bridges won best actor in a drama for playing a washed-up country singer in "Crazy Heart." In accepting the award, Bridges, nominated three previous times for a Golden Globe without a win, cracked: "You're really screwing up my underappreciated status here."

Meanwhile, it's elementary, my dear Watson: Robert Downey Jr. won best actor in a comedy or musical as the famed super sleuth in "Sherlock Holmes." In a self-deprecating speech, he said he had no one to thank and then proceeded to thank everybody, including his wife, Susan, the film's producer.

Sandra Bullock won her first Golden Globe, for best actress in a drama for "The Blind Side." Known mostly for her comedic roles, Bullock thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press for honoring her stepping over to "the other side."

Despite host Ricky Gervais' biting, inside-Hollywood digs ("Let's get on with it before NBC replaces me with Jay Leno," he cracked), there were moments of compassion throughout Sunday's 67th annual Golden Globes as actress Nicole Kidman urged audiences to donate money and tune in for Friday's Hope for Haiti telethon organized by Golden Globe nominee George Clooney.

Meryl Streep (who won best actress in a comedy or musical for "Julie & Julia" -- and was also nominated for "It's Complicated") said she sometimes has trouble reconciling the charmed life she lives with the tragedies happening elsewhere in the world. At those times, she said, she channels her late mother telling her to put a smile on her face, use her money for good and appreciate her success. "I am grateful, I am really grateful," Streep said.

Christoph Waltz won supporting actor as a nefarious Nazi in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds." He is considered a front-runner for the Academy Award.

In the television categories, awards show stalwart "Mad Men" won best drama, while newcomer "Glee" scored an upset in the comedy category.

The Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of about 90 reporters covering show business for overseas outlets.

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SUNDAY'S WINNERS

For a comprehensive list of Golden Globes winners, go to chicagotribune.com/globes